It’s always fun to look back at how Vancouverites used to cool off during the summer months, seeing how our waterfront landscape — and swimming attire — has changed. Since I have previously posted a collection of beach photos (and a short story about the English Bay Pier) today I’m focusing specifically on swimming for this blast from the past.
1905: Men’s swimming race in English Bay. Archives# Be P12.04. Photographer: Philip Timms.
1900s: English Bay swimming race & diving. VPL# 5454 & 5474. Photographer: Philip Timms.
1912: Bathing in English Bay. Archives# SGN 1015.
1914: August at English Bay. Archives# Be P144.1.
1929: Summer fun at English Bay. Archives# CVA 99-2471.
1930s: Summer at English Bay. Archives# CVA 99-2120.
1936: Diving platform at Kitsilano Pool. Archives# CVA 260-434. Photographer: James Crookall.
1910: Joe Fortes at English Bay. VPL# 83598 & 1960s: Lifeguard. VPL# 41549. Photo: Province Newspaper.
1932: Kitsilano Pool. Archives# CVA 260-707. Photographer: James Crookall.
1937: Kitsilano Beach Pool. Archives# Be P112.10.
Find more historical photos by searching the databases of the Vancouver Public Library and City of Vancouver Archives.
The Tony Award-winning War Horse will premiere in Vancouver this September with a short one-week run at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. The National Theatre of Great Britain’s epic War Horse is the winner of five 2011 Tony Awards including Best Play and the film of the same name (based on the book by Michael Morpurgo) was nominated for six Academy Awards.
Photos © Brinkhoff/Mögenburg
England, 1914. As World War One begins, Joey, young Albert’s beloved horse, is sold to the cavalry and shipped from England to France. He’s soon caught up in enemy fire, and fate takes him on an extraordinary journey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in no man’s land. But Albert cannot forget Joey and, still not old enough to enlist, he embarks on a treacherous mission to find him and bring him home. This powerfully moving and imaginative drama, filled with stirring music and songs, is a show of phenomenal inventiveness that is currently playing to packed houses in London and around the world. At its heart are astonishing life-sized puppets created by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company, that bring to life breathing, galloping, charging horses strong enough for men to ride.
War Horse will run from September 24th to September 29th, 2013 in Vancouver, Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8:000pm with Thursday, Saturday and Sunday 2:00pm matinees. Tickets will go on sale on Monday, July 22, 2013 and prices range based on the performance and seat location but they start at $35 plus fees and applicable taxes.
War Horse Pre-Sale
I have a pre-sale code valid now until Sunday, July 21, 2013. Go to this ticket link and once you select your date, you will be prompted to enter a code where it says “Got An Offer Code?”. There you will enter: BILLY. You will then have access to the pre-sale until Sunday night.
War Horse in Vancouver, presented by Broadway Across Canada, is part of a four city tour in Canada including dates in Calgary September 10 – 15, 2013; Edmonton September 17-22, 2013 and Ottawa January 21 – 26, 2014. Follow Broadway Across Canada on Facebook and Twitter to find out more about their shows and productions they will be bringing to Vancouver stages.
The 25th anniversary of the Illuminares Lantern Festival is happening this Saturday at Trout Lake and it will also be the last. Since 1988, the non-profit Public Dreams Society has hosted the festival (along with other events like the Parade of Lost Souls) but according to artistic director Matthew Bissett, it’s just no longer feasible.
“The sad fact is that we are in financial difficulty,” Bissett told me over the phone. They’re not trying to end the event and he called this step more of a “hibernation”. However, they need to find a way to clear their deficit and find new ways of producing these events.
Illuminares is an iconic part of the cultural landscape in Vancouver, bringing together the Trout Lake community and all those who visit. Despite hitting a milestone this year, he expects a smaller “quietly beautiful” festival on Saturday. “It’s about the procession, the movement of all the people at the same time with light, that is kind of the glorious thing and the main point of the Illuminares Festival.”
“Come enjoy the park as a park. Celebrate Trout Lake and John Hendry Park. Bring a picnic, bring an instrument, play a game, enjoy the grass, the tress, the sky, summer.”
Neighbours lead park clean-ups years ago, helping the area grow into the friendly community-oriented place it is now, and the event has always been about fostering that sense of community. “Part of our goal is to get back to the original idea behind Illuminares, when it was community members in the Trout Lake area that were coming to the park to do a lantern procession around Trout Lake as a way of claiming the green space as their own.”
Bissett emphasized that Illuminares has also always been about participation. “You build the lantern, you bring a light source, and the real beauty is everyone engaging in the collective experience.”
While the human energy of the first Illuminares rippled out through the Trout Lake area communities, the light energy sped upward towards the stars – passing Alpha Centauri after five years, zooming past Sirius, Procyon and Altair, until just this summer reaching the star Vega, twenty-five light years from Earth. This summer, visit the shores of Trout Lake and take a journey back through time with Public Dreams, navigating our history using these stars as your signposts!
For those wanting to get involved with Illuminares on Saturday, you can contact Public Dreams about becoming a volunteer. The event runs from 6:00pm to 10:30pm on Saturday, July 20, 2013 at Trout Lake and John Hendry Park. Follow Public Dreams on Facebook and Twitter to learn more about this event and more importantly to find out ways you can support their efforts.
This summer an exciting Bollywood Wedding is coming to town and everyone is invited! This interactive outdoor theatre experience is presented by South Asian Arts in partnership with the PNE from July 17th until July 28th at the Italian Gardens at Hastings Park.
Bollywood Wedding cast members. Photo courtesy of South Asian Arts/
Written by Raakhi Sinha and Gurpreet Sian with Camyar Chai, this lively production will take place in a beautiful outdoor setting, which I’ve previously listed as one of the city’s hidden gems. Moving from one location to another, various scenes of the play include the engagement, mehndi, maiyan, milni and of course the wedding itself. The evening will end with a big, interactive dance party at the wedding reception.
A hit with critics and audiences alike and awarded the “Best Outdoor Interactive Theatre Event” by The Georgia Straight, South Asian Arts is excited to announce the return of Bollywood Wedding. This is your invitation to see the most unique wedding of the year.
Be part of an elaborate & hilarious, outdoor, interactive dance and theatre event as two young Indians are brought together in an arranged marriage. Indian weddings are colourful and extravagant with fabulous clothing, an occasional melt down, some serious drama and lots of dancing. You’ll see all of that with our cast of 12 amazing actors, along with the always dazzling Shiamak dance team.
The wedding will take place on Wednesday, July 17th (2 for 1 preview), July 18th to 21st, and July 24th to 28th at 8:00pm. Saturdays and Sundays during that span will also have 2:00pm matinees. The show is $35 adults, $20 seniors and children (12 & under) plus applicable service charges. Tickets are available online now.
If you would like to reserve your spot at Bollywood Wedding I have a pair of tickets up for grabs. Here’s how you can enter to win:
- Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 9:00am on Friday, July 19, 2013. The winner will be able to pick their preferred show date (based on availability). For more information about this show and other community events, follow South Asian Arts on Twitter and Facebook.
Update The winner is SJ!
Five Hole For Food is wrapping up its 4th annual cross-Canada road hockey campaign that raises food and funds for charities in the communities that host their games. From St. John’s to Halifax, Ottawa to Calgary and in between, the concept is pretty simple: Show up with a donation for your local food bank and play a fun road hockey tournament.
In 2011 I talked to Founder Richard Loat as his Vancouver-based team headed west across the Rocky Mountains. That year they had a goal to raise 20,000lbs of food which they met by the time they hit Regina. This year as they approach Calgary, Richard is confident they’ll reach 250,000lbs of food raised for local charities as they have already doubled their 2012 figures at this point in the trip.
“The tour this year has been pretty incredible. I feel very fortunate to have been able to drive across Canada even once, but to be doing it for a fourth time you see some incredible things and being able to share Canadiana is pretty special,” Richard told me by email this morning.
Before heading out for the big tour this year, Five Hole For Food also played its first two international games. John and I joined them in Austin, Texas during the South by South West conference for their first American campaign and then Richard was in New York’s Central Park on Canada Day as well.
“It’s been a lot of fun to see what makes each city unique. In Halifax we had the Navy come out and support things, in Calgary we’ve seen people really rally around our efforts to support the flood relief, and in Regina it was clear that no matter what sport people played it would always be Rider Nation first. I think seeing that just puts into perspective that Canada is so different from coast-to-coast, but we have that common tie of hockey which is why we do this and why we want to turn a Canadian passion into action at the food bank’s greatest time of need.”
“We’ve been lucky to have incredible weather, and looking at the buzz that’s building, I think the Vancouver game is going to be bigger than we ever expected.”
Today they’ll be playing their 10th game of this year’s trip in Calgary from 2:00pm to 6:00pm at Eau Claire Market. Richard says they have Harvey the Hound coming down, some Flames Alumni, a Stampeders player and other activities to look forward to in this home stretch.
After today’s game they’ll drive up to Edmonton where they’ll play at Centennial Square from 4:00pm to 8:00pm. Then the Five Hole For Food team will return to BC, playing in Victoria on Friday, July 19th and then coming home for a game on Granville Street in downtown Vancouver on Saturday, July 20th, 2013 from 12:00pm to 6:00pm.
The games are for all ages and skill levels — all you need is a hockey stick and a can of food to participate. In Vancouver, all funds and food raised will support the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society. Local officials, media, sports figures, and celebrities occasionally make their way to Five Hole For Food games as well and it’s lots of fun to watch even if you don’t play.
Follow the campaign on Facebook and Twitter for more information and to follow the team home.
